P E S C E T A R I A N

1 0 1a G u i d e t o B e c o m i n g P e s c e t a r i a n

Now that our blog has been active for a little whilenow, Matt and I decided to create this ebook so thatwe could answer some of those questions that I knowwe had when we first became pescetarian, as well assome of the questions we’ve received from you guyson the blog and through social media.

So this ebook is going to take you through some of thebasics of pescetarianism, including how to nurture ahealthy pescetarian diet and how to shop for fish andseafood in a sustainable way. We’ve even included afew of our favourite recipes to help you get started!

FOREWORD

What is aPescetarian?

Quite simply, a pescetarian is someone who eatsfish and seafood, but no other meat. Pescetariansdo eat dairy products, such as milk and cheese, inaddition to vegetables, nuts pulses and fruit.

The term pescetarian comes from “pesce” which isthe Italian word for fish and whilst the term hasbeen around for a number of years (it found its wayinto the dictionary in 1993) it has only becomewidely known and heard in the last 5 years or so.

Why We BecamePescetarians

Laura: I’ve tried loads of different diets over the years. Igrew up eating meat, however in my adolescence andadulthood I tried being both vegetarian and vegan beforesettling on being a pescetarian. I made this choice for anumber of reasons. Firstly, I’m quite a health-consciousperson and eating pescetarian means I get a wide-rangingand healthy diet. Secondly, I absolutely love seafood!Adore it. So when I went pescetarian, it gave me a greatopportunity to explore cooking with different types of fishand seafood. I became more and more adventurous withwhat I was willing to try and as a result, felt more confidentcooking for other people. Now, when I cook for meateaters, I don’t worry that they’ll be disappointed with whatI’m cooking up.

Matt: So I was a meat eater when I met Laura. I had alwayssuffered from fair painful stomach aches and was neverquite sure what was causing them. Then when Laura and Imoved in together, I started eating less and less meat andfound that it really helped with my stomach pains, soeating pescetarian was a perfect compromise for me,allowing me to get regular protein and keeping me healthy.I’ve always enjoyed cooking, especially for other people, sobecoming pescetarian provided me with a fresh challenge– making fresh and exciting recipes without meat.

What You'll Needto Know

Whenever you make a big lifestyle change such as a newdiet, there are always going to be adjustments and asettling-in period where you learn how to fit your new dietinto your existing routines. Below, we have included a fewdifferent things that you might want to consider whenbecoming a pescetarian.

Shopping

When you go pescetarian you may need to adapt yourshopping habits slightly. Firstly, fish and seafood doesn’treally have the longest shelf life, so we shopped a littlemore regularly for seafood than we previously would have.We also spent more time considering where we purchasedour seafood – we wanted it to be really fresh, so we foundout where our local fish mongers and markets were andmade regular use of these. We also had to consider thesustainability of the seafood we bought, which we willdiscuss in the next section.

Tell the World!

No one likes it when they suddenly have to cater for adifferent diet that they knew nothing about. For example, ifsomeone else is cooking Christmas dinner this year, it’simportant to let that person know that you’re pescetarian.People will be far more understanding if they’re given timeto plan and prepare. And be specific when you explain yourdiet; if you’re not happy having your vegetables roastedanimal fats, tell the chef. Whilst you may feel difficultmaking demands, it’s better than pushing food that youwon’t eat around your plate – the host will notice!

Foods that Aren't Pescetarian-Friendly

There are a number of foods out there that are surprisinglynot meat-free. This may not bother you (which isabsolutely fine) but if you are looking to remove all meatproducts from your diet, here are a few foods to watch outfor:

Sweets containing gelatine. These are often gummysweets such as haribos and they contain pork or beefgelatine. Marshmallows are another food item thatoften contains gelatine.

Cheeses containing rennet. Quite a large number ofcheeses contain rennet, so you’re best off looking forones that indicate that they’re vegetarian. We useparmesan fairly often in our recipes and this is always avegetarian parmesan, which is fairly easy to come by.

Crisps. A lot of crisp flavours contain meat and weirdlyenough, it’s often the ones that aren’t meat flavoured!Go figure.

SustainableShopping

When you become a pescetarian, it is likely that you’ll bebuying a lot more fish and seafood. So it’s vital that whenshopping for seafood, you make sure that you’re shoppingsustainably. Here are a few sustainable shopping tips forbudding pescetarians:

Tip #1

When buying seafood in a supermarket, look for theMarine Stewardship Council (MSC) label, which indicatesthat the seafood has come from sustainable fisheries. Ifyou’re supermarket doesn’t stock this, ask! Local marketsmay not consider stocking sustainable seafood unlessthey know that the demand for it is there, so don’t be afraidto make a suggestion to the store manager.

If you want info on places near you stocking MSCapproved seafood, click here.

Tip #2

Try diversifying the fish you buy and eat. One of thebiggest global fishing issues is that people stick to whatthey know and as a result, these more common fishchoices, such as Atlantic cod and Salmon and swordfishare overfished. There is a huge variety of delicious fish andseafood out there and often, going with the less popularchoices can be cheaper as well as being more sustainable.Anchovies, clams, abalone, crayfish, hake and farmedmussels and oysters are all sustainable choices (and damntasty!)

Take a look at thegoodfishguide.org for more details onwhat is and isn’t sustainable.

Tip #3

Buy local. If possible, aim to buy seafood that has beencaught locally, rather than shipped halfway around theworld to get to your supermarket. It will likely be fresherand better for the environment!

Keeping aBalanced Diet

Eating pescetarian can be a fantastic way to get a healthyand balanced diet and we’ve found that since goingpescetarian, we’ve had very healthy diets which containeverything we need.

One of the biggest concerns I hear when people talk to meabout becoming pescetarian is how they will get enoughprotein in their diet and this is understandable. Usually,when people think about getting protein in, they turn towhite meats like chicken or lightly less healthy red meats.But a pescetarian diet can provide with more than enoughprotein when you’re cooking right! Fatty fishes such assalmon, anchovies, tuna, mackerel and sardines are allhigh in protein and have to added benefits of containingother dietary benefits, like B vitamins and magnesium.Even better, fish and seafood is usually very low insaturated fats, so you can keep a lean, healthy diet noproblem!

On the non-seafood side, there are tons of protein-richfood that will give you the balanced diet you need. Nuts,beans, lentils, pulses, quinoa and tofu are all great sourcesof protein which can be whipped up into taste and fillingmeals in no time.

Storing andPreparing Food

When Matt and I went pescetarian, I found that I cared alot more about what I was eating. It made me morecreative as a cook and as a result, I started using a lot morefresh ingredients. So when you’re using fresh ingredients,it’s important to store and prep your food properly.I’ve created a list below of some key storing advice that I’velived by over the past few years.

Seafood

Keep your seafood cold and store it quickly. If you’re doinga big grocery shop, make it one of the last things you pickup before paying so that it doesn’t have too long to warmup.

Keep your seafood in the colder part of your refrigerator.I store fish for no longer than 2 days in the fridge andusually store with a little ice underneath it, to keep it extracold.

If you purchase live shellfish, such as live clams, keepthem in a large bowl or pan, cover with a wet cloth or papertowel and keep in the fridge. I wouldn’t keep live shellfishfor more than 2-3 days but one easy way to test it is with aquick sniff; if it smells strongly like the sea, you’re good. If itsmells rotten (you’ll know), you’re too late.

If you’re freezing seafood, it’s mark to write dates on thepackaging, so you know how long it’s been there. I don’tfreeze fish for longer than 3 months, though there is a littlewriggle room with leaner fish, such as flounder.Prawns/shrimp and scallops are the freezer championsthough, as they can be stored for 6-8 months.

I think this should be fairly obvious, but when preparingfish, wash your hands thoroughly (before and after). Don’tlet raw fish come into contact with any ready to eat foodand clean all of your utensils and work surfaces really wellafterwards.

Fruit & Vegetables

Store your fruit and veg separately to stop your vegetablesspoiling. I keep them in separate trays in my fridge.

If possible, try not to pack your vegetables too closetogether. This will help with their shelf life.

Onions and garlic should be stored in a cool dry place. Ikeep them in a draw in my kitchen.

Never keep potatoes and onions in the same place. Whilstthey both need cool, dry environments, they shouldn’t bestored together, as the onions will make the potatoessprout.

When it comes to storing fresh herbs, I like to put mine inlittle pots of water in the fridge. I find it keeps the herbsfresh and their leaves strong.

CookingPescetarian

Four delicious recipes to get started

Tomato & Prawn Risotto

400ml vegetable stock1 glug of olive oil1 small onion, finely chopped1 garlic clove, minced220g arborio/risotto rice150g cheery tomatoes, quartered400g tin of chopped tomatoes1/2 tsp sugar1/2 tsp pepper1/4 tsp paprika300g raw prawnshandful of basil. tornsmall handful of grated vegetarian Parmesan

Begin by boiling the stock in a large pan and leave to the side.

Get a deep frying pan and put on a medium heat. Pour in theolive oil and add the onion, garlic and rice. Stir regularly to ensureall of the rice is coated in oil and does not stick to the pan.

When the onions become translucent (this should take around3-4 minutes) add in 1 ladel of stock. Keep stirring while the riceabsorbs the stock and when it is completely absorbed , addanother ladel of stock. Keep doing this until all of the stock hasbeen absorbed by the rice.

Next, add in the fresh cherry tomatoes and the choppedtomatoes. and stir into the rice. This should be followed by thesugar (to counteract the tartness of the tomatoes), the pepperand the paprika. Now you should let the risotto simmer foraround 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly.

The next step is adding your prawns. Make sure to coat them inthe sauce so they cooked evenly and thoroughly. After around3-5 minutes, the prawns will pink all over and you're almostdone!

Add the basil and serve, sprinkling a little Parmesan on eachserving.

Mediterranean Fish Stew

250ml fish stock150ml white wine100g salmon100g haddock100g smoked cod100g chick peas300g vine ripenedtomatoes1/2 tin of choppedtomatoes250g white fluffypotatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree2 cloves garlic(chopped)1/2 red chilli (chopped)1 orange or yellowpepper (chopped)1 white onion(chopped)1 tsp cayenne pepper1 unwaxed lemonHandful of freshparsley (chopped)Glug of olive oil

In a large saucepan, add the olive oil and fry the onion, garlic andchilli on a high heat until they start to brown.

Add the tomato puree and the cayenne pepper, then stir it intothe onion/garlic/chilli to make a wet paste.

Once you've created a paste, add the vine-ripened tomatoes, tinof tomatoes, chopped pepper, potatoes (peel and cut them intosmall chunks), chick peas and the zest/juice of the lemon.Season to taste with salt and pepper then cook on a high heatfor 10 minutes.

Add the chopped parsley, wine and stock and cook for a further10 minutes. This should reduce down the contents of the panslightly and bring out all of the flavours of the vegetables.

Once the wine has reduced, add the fish and cook for another 10minutes. Make sure you're occasionally stirring the pan at thisstage. Also, you don't need to worry about cutting the fish intosmaller chunks beforehand because once they've cooked for 3-4 minutes you'll be able to flake them apart with a woodenspoon.

Take off the heat and leave to settle for 2-3 minutes beforeserving with some grilled ciabatta.

Haddock & Crab Fish Pie

350g haddock fillets200g crab claw meat200ml whole milk500g maris piper potatoes2 free range eggs (hard-boiled)Bunch of fresh parsley (chopped)1 bay leaf50g of ricotta100g mature cheddar20g salted butterHandful dried chilli flakes

Peel the potatoes and chop them into rough pieces (around4cm cubes). Pour them into some salted boiling water within apan and leave them for around 20 minutes.

Whilst the potatoes are boiling, heat all of the milk in a largefrying pan on a medium heat. Add the chopped parsley, bay leafand the haddock fillets and leave to poach for around 10minutes. Make sure that you season the fish with salt andpepper as well.

Add in your 2 free-range eggs to a pan of boiling water foraround 8 minutes until they are hard-boiled.The fish should now be nice and soft, you can now flake it apartwith a wooden spoon into smaller chunks (this is a lot easierthan chopping it into pieces when it's raw). Now take the fish offof the heat.

Once the potatoes are ready (poke them with a blunt knife tosee if they're soft), strain them in a colander and run themthrough a potato ricer. You can use a potato masher if you likebut I always find that a ricer adds the perfect texture to yourmash. Now add the butter, a pinch of salt and pepper and thericotta, and then mix it all together. You can also add a quarter ofthe crab meat to the mash potato to give a lovely fishy flavour,but that's up to you.

It's now time to add the contents of your frying pan(milk/haddock/parsley) into your baking tray. Be sure to removethe bay leaf though, you don't want to end up chewing on that.Just spread out the mixture across the surface of your tray andthen the rest of your crab meat and your two hard-boiled eggs(cut them into quarters).

Spoon over the potato evenly across the fish in your baking tray,making sure that you've covered it all. Now grate the cheddarover the top of the potato and add a handful of dried chilli flakes.Place the tray into the oven at 180 degrees Celsius / 356degrees Fahrenheit / Gas mark 4 for 30 minutes until there is agolden crispy colour to the top of the pie. Make sure you leave itto cool for a few minutes before serving.

Sesame Falafel Wraps

400g chick peas (tinned isfine)2 echalion shallots1 clove of garlic1/2 red chilliHandful of fresh coriander1 tbsp ground cumin100g sesame seeds2 tbsp plain flour

1 carrot (grated)60g fresh rocket/watercress1/2 cucumber (sliced)60g vine cherry tomatoes(halved)50g halloumi3 tortilla wraps

Falafel Wrap Salad

Add all of the ingredients except the sesame seeds into a foodprocessor and blend it all together until it's a rough, wet texture.Make sure you've thoroughly rinsed the chick peas in cold waterbefore adding them.

Once all the ingredients are blended, add half a teaspoon of saltand pepper to the bowl and mix it all around.

It's now time to make the falafel mixture resemble somethingthat looks like burgers. To do this, take one heaped tablespoonof the mixture and work it into a ball. Do this until all of themixture is gone - you should have around 6 balls (you may getmore if you're lucky!). Place the sesame seeds on a large plateand roll each of the balls of falafel in them until they're coated inthem.

Once all of the balls are coated in sesame seeds, flatten themdown into small burgers.

Place a large frying pan over a medium/high heat and add agenerous glug of olive oil. Once the oil has heated, add thefalafel burgers and fry for around 3 minutes on each side. It's assimple as that.

To finish, add the vegetables, falafel and sprinkle some sesameseeds in the wrap and fold it up.